


Anklebiters

by humanbean



Category: Glee
Genre: Gen, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-11-20
Packaged: 2018-05-02 14:44:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5252153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/humanbean/pseuds/humanbean





	Anklebiters

_-Roderick: 11 years old-_

 

            “What if they don’t like me?” Roderick asks, even though he knows his mom has no time to answer in between getting him ready for school and getting herself ready for work and preparing the bag for the babysitter.

            “They’ll like you.” she says, and her hair is frazzled and her shirt is buttoned up wrong. “Just be yourself.”

            Roderick rolls his eyes. “Being myself is the problem.” he mutters, and takes a candy bar out of the cupboard. He opens it and takes a bite before his mom has time to notice.

            “Roderick, what have I told you about stress eating?” she asks, walking over to him.

            Roderick looks down. “To not to.”

            “That’s right.” she says, taking the candy bar out of his hand and gesturing with it. “You’re not hungry, you’re just nervous.” And then she takes a bite out of it herself, which Roderick finds confusing. She’s not hungry either. They both just had breakfast.

            The baby starts crying in the other room, and Roderick’s mom blows out a breath. “Okay, do you have all your books?” she asks, and he nods. “Had breakfast? Brushed your teeth?”

            “ _Mom_ , I’m not a little kid.” Roderick whines.

            “Put on deodorant?”

            Roderick doesn’t answer. He hasn’t.

            “Yeah.” she nods, only a little smug. “Go do that, and then wait outside for the bus. Have a good first day, sweetie. Love you.”

            She kisses him, and Roderick doesn’t like it when she does that, but he lets her.

* * *

 

_-Jane: 9 years old-_

 

            “ _Happy birthday to you!_ ” Jane closes her eyes and blows out her candles. Her dad cuts her a huge slice, like he always does _just this once_ , and then cuts out another big piece for himself.

            “None for me, dear.” Jane’s mom says, when he goes to cut a third slice. “I’ve eaten enough junk food today, and besides, we need to save some for Jane’s friends.”

            “I don’t _have_ any friends.” Jane announces, crossing her arms.

            “None?” her mom asks. “What about Tara?”

            She looks down at the table. “Me and Tara aren’t friends anymore.” she says.

            “Why not, honey?”

            “She’s not a nice person, Mom.” Jane replies. “She yells at me when I don’t want to do what she wants, and last week she told me I’d never be as pretty as her.”

            Jane’s mom doesn’t say anything for a minute. She and her dad share a look, and then turn to her in that synchronised parent way that means they’re on the same side. “I’m sure she didn’t mean that.” her mom says. “You’re very pretty, and I’m sure Tara can see that.”

            “People say things they don’t mean sometimes.” her dad says. “That doesn’t make them bad people, and it doesn’t mean you should stop talking to them altogether.”

            “Her parents are always lovely to you when they come over.” Jane’s mom says, and Jane doesn’t look at her, because she knows what’s coming. “What do you say, sweetie? Do you think you and Tara can make up?”

            “I guess.” Jane mumbles, and pokes at her cake. She’s not hungry anymore.

* * *

 

_-Mason and Madison: 9 years old-_

 

            “No, don’t go over there!” Mason feels Madison’s hand slipping into his and pulling him back. “I don’t want you talking to them!”

            Mason stops and turns around. His sister’s face is set into a pout, and her eyes are big and sad. “Why not?” he asks.

            “They’re mean.” She tugs him even closer by the hand, and shrinks behind him. Mason looks back again, at the group of kids who seem to be having fun.

            “How do you know?” he asks. “We haven’t met them yet.”

            Her face darkens, and she glares down at the ground. “I just know these things, okay Mason? Trust me.”

            “You don’t have to be scared, you know.” Mason says, in a softer voice.

            Madison pouts. “Stay here and play with me.” she says.

            Mason looks back one more time, but Madison’s his sister. There’s no contest. “Okay.” he says. “Whaddya wanna play?”

            Madison’s face lights up. “Castles.” she says. “I’ll be queen, you be king.”

            “If you’re queen, I wanna be a knight.” he says, and swings around an imaginary sword. “You can boss me around and I’ll keep you safe from bad guys.”

            “Okay.” Madison agrees. “That tree will be our castle.”

            “Race you there.” Mason says, and takes off before she does. He runs faster than her and he knows it.

            Madison chases after him, giggling and complaining about how he cheated, and he gives her a leg up so she can sit in a low crook of the tree as her throne.


End file.
